Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg | European Royal History ≈ Leave a comment Tags Duke of Cambridge , House of Battenberg , House of Burbon , King Alfonso XIII of Spain , King George III , King George V of Great Britain , Mary of Teck , Prince Adolphus , Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge , Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg , Royal Marriages My wife Sarah, and our dog Amadeus I have always been a romantic at heart and the issue of royal marriages has always fascinated me. I robbed the cradle when I got married. My wife is 18 years younger than I am. There have been many marriages between kings and would-be king and princesses where age has been an issue. I can relate to the issues around marriages between spouses when age is a factor. Even when age has not been an issue these marriages were often arranged. For the most part they were arranged for political motivations, to shore up a treaty or to gain an alliance or to end a feud or to pass on the succession. Love was not a consideration although it was a positive side effect if and when it happened.

Given the propensity for kings to collect mistresses, even if they did love their queens, the rules of marriage for royalty seem quite different to what the untitled person would expect. As time marched on and arranged marriages for political purposes waned, marriages for social status become the primary focus in selecting a suitable spouse. Queen Victoria, and her marriage to Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, seem to be a mixture of alliances, social obligation and love. Clearly Victoria was in love with Albert and Albert, for his part, does seem to have had fond feelings for his first cousin, but love was something that grew later for him. The Coburg family, Victoria’s maternal family, favored the match. With her uncle King Leopold I of the Belgians leading the charge, there was a desire to maintain some sense of power. Indeed prior to her accession Victoria was used as a pawn by many within the Coburg and Hanoverian families trying to maintain some type of control over her. Her grandson, King George V, married his dead brothers fiancé, Mary of Teck.

This marriage was based solely on the fact that Mary of Teck was seen as a person who would make an excellent queen consort and the British royal family did not want to loose her. The Teck family was “tainted”by the morganatic marriage of Mary’s grandfather, Duke Alexander of Württemberg (1804-1885), so her prospects within on the continent among the various German royal families were not good. In Britain, where she was born and raised, her mother being Princess Mary-Adelaide of Cambridge a daughter of Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge (7th son of King George III of Great Britain), were not against morganatic marriages. George V’s cousin, Princess Victoria-Eugenie of Battenberg, (called Ena within the family) is a prime example of “rushing” into a marriage. I don’t blame her for this is how royal marriages were conducted many years ago. As royal marriages moved away from being political alliances the need for the marriage to meet social standards was emphasized more. King Alfonso XIII of Spain was one of those rare princes to be born a king. When he reached the age to marry he went bride shopping.

He was attracted to Princess Ena and selected her to be his queen and they were wed on May 31, 1906. Princess Ena was the only daughter of Princess Beatrice, youngest daughter of Queen Victoria, and her husband , prince Henry of Battenberg. The Battenberg clan was a morganatic scion of the House of Hesse and by Rhine. This taint of morganatic blood would cause undue suffering in Spain by those courtiers who were prejudiced toward the Battenbergs. The Spanish aristocracy saw the Battenbergs as semi-royal and were used to their queens coming from what was in their eyes the more noble houses of Bourbon and Hapsburg. This situation paints a picture of what was problematic in these types of alliances. There was a growing allowance in these families that the future bride and groom have some type of feelings for one another prior to the marriage. What would often occur is that the prospective parties would meet and have some type of sexual chemistry between them and develop what we would call either a crush or lust for one-another.

Other than social obligations, which required them to marry someone of equal or near equal status, these marriages were often moved forward based on these initial physical attractions. I don’t think a crush or initial sexual chemistry…or equal social rank…is a strong foundation on which to build a marriage. The case of Ena and Alphonse is a good example of this. I will stop here. I enjoy this topic so I will continue looking at royal marriages on Tuesdays for a while. ≈ Leave a comment Tags 1981 , Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein , Count of Barcelona , Duchess of Lugo , Duchess of Palma de Mallorca , Felipe , Guardia Civil , Infanta Cristina , Infanta Elena , Juan Carlos I of Spain , King Alfonso XIII of Spain , King Pavlos of Greece , Kingdom of Spain , parliamentary monarchy , Prince of Asturias , Princess Fredericka of Hanover , Princess María de las Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies , Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg , Queen Victoria , Spanish Cortes The Spanish monarchy is rare in the annals of European monarchies in that it has had periods of time when it was a Republic only to return to the concept of monarchy.

The first time was in 1873-1874 and then again between 1937 and 1975. King Juan Carlos I of Spain is an essential part of the success of Spain as a monarchy and the man who transitioned his country from a authoritarian dictatorship to a parliamentary monarchy. Juan Carlos was born January 5, 1938 eldest son of Infante Don Juan, Count of Barcelona and Princess María de las Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. The Count of Barcelona was the third son and heir to King Alfonso XIII of Spain (1886-1941). His grandmother was Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg (1887-1969) a granddaughter of Britain’s Queen Victoria. On May 14, 1962 the future king married HRH Princess Sophie of Greece and Denmark whom he met while on a cruise in Athens. Princess Sophie was the daughter of King Pavlos of Greece and Princess Fredericka of Hanover (herself a granddaughter of Germany’s last Emperor, Wilhelm II).

Juan Carlos and Sophie have three children, Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo (born 1963) Infanta Cristina, Duchess of Palma de Mallorca (born 1965) and Felipe, Prince of Asturias, heir to the Spanish throne (born 1968) The monarchy was restored in 1975 at the death of Francisco Franco who had designated Juan Carlos his heir bypassing the more liberal Count of Barcelona. Since then Juan Carlos steered the Spanish state toward democracy and successfully thwarted an attempted military coup on February 23,1981. The Spanish Cortes were seized by members of the Guardia Civil in the parliamentary chamber. The King appeared on public television calling for unambiguous support for the legitimate democratic government. Although the king had great powers on his succession by 1982 he had relinquished them in favor of a more ceremonial role for the monarchy. Through the years the king has been above party politics and steered clear of controversy until only recently. In April of 2012 the king came under criticism Juan Carlos faced criticism for going on an elephant hunting trip in Botswana.

It was said that his actions “demonstrated a lack of ethics and respect toward many people in this country who are suffering a lot.” The trip also brought to the surface his mistress, Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, highlighting the troubles in his marriage with the queen. Given the historical tenuousness of Spanish politics there were those that called the king “Juan Carlos the Brief” back in 1975 feeling that the monarchy would not last long. It has endured for 37 years and although Spain is undergoing hard economic times I hope the king can continue being a stable symbol for Spain and is able to pass on a stable throne to his son, Felipe, when the time comes.

King Alfonso XIII of Spain and Princess Victoria-Eugenie of Battenberg - 1906 - The Royal Forums King Alfonso XIII of Spain and Princess Victoria-Eugenie of Battenberg - 1906 King Alfonso XIII of Spain and Princess Victoria-Eugenie of Battenberg - 1906 Lula found some photos of Queen Ena's wedding dress (married Alfonso XIII in 1906): Location: Cavite City, Philippines Posts: 1,399 here's a portrait of the wedding of King Alfonso XIII to Queen Victoria Eugenia, from Cover: __________________ Location: --, Portugal Posts: 5,813 Wedding of Alfonso XIII of Spain and Victoria Eugenia de Battenberg, on May 31st 1906.

From Hola: Posts: 17,703 King Alfonso XIII of Spain and Princess Victoria-Eugenie of Battenberg - 1906 On 31 May 1906 King Alfonso XIII of Spain married princess Victoria Eugenia (Ena) of Battenberg, the daughter of Princess Beatrie of the United Kingdom. From wikipedia: Quote: After the wedding ceremony, the royal procession was heading back to the Royal Palace when an assassination attempt was made on the King and his new consort (now called "Queen Victoria Eugenia" or, less formally, "Queen Ena"). Anarchist Mateu Morral threw a bomb from a balcony at the royal carriage. Ena's life was saved because, at the exact moment the bomb exploded, she turned her head in order to see St. Mary's Church, which Alfonso was showing her. She escaped injury, although her dress was spotted with the blood of a guard who was riding beside the carriage.

== Royal Wedding #1: Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg & King Alfonso XIII of Spain | Edwardian Promenade Royal Wedding #1: Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg & King Alfonso XIII of Spain by Camille Hadley Jones Since the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton is April 29th, I’ve decided to use these six weeks to profile six of the Edwardian era’s most prominent royal weddings. Since Queen Victoria’s family was incredibly large and well-connected, I have a plethora of nuptials from which to choose–my only obstacle is making a decision! For now, I’ll focus on the first wedding which came to mind, the 1906 marriage of Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg & King Alfonso XIII of Spain. Victoria Eugenie was the only daughter born to Princess Beatrice, the youngest daughter of Queen Victoria, and Prince Henry of Battenberg, who was the son of Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine by his morganatic wife Countess Julia von Hauke.

Called Ena by her family, the princess was raised in her grandmother’s household, as Queen Victoria only consented to Beatrice’s wedding to Prince Henry on the condition that she remain at her side. Though her father died when she was nine, and her grandmother five years later, Princess Ena’s life was rather secure and happy. In contrast, Alfonso’s upbringing was rather unique, since his posthumous birth made him King of Spain the moment he was delivered. His mother, Queen Maria Christina was appointed Regent until he reached his majority in 1902 at sixteen. His ascension to the throne was marked by festivities, bullfights, balls and receptions throughout Spain, and the French newspaper Le Figaro described the young King as “the happiest and best-loved of all the rulers of the earth.” Unfortunately, under his reign Spain lost its last colonies in the Americas (Cuba and Puerto Rico) and the Philippines, and the country was rocked by the anarchist movement. Nevertheless, King Alfonso was a very popular monarch, well loved by the ladies, and considered an excellent sportsman. Ena and Alfonso met in 1905, when he traveled to England for an official visit.

Her beauty and her platinum hair caught Alfonso’s eye at a dinner hosted by her uncle, King Edward VII, and though he had initially paid marked attention to her cousin, Princess Patricia of Connaught, his eye was now on Princess Ena as a future bride. Their match was not without obstacles, mainly that of religion, since Alfonso was a Roman Catholic and Ena was obviously Anglican. Another obstacle was that of rank: Ena was merely a Serene Highness, and a descendant from a morganatic marriage, which Alfonso’s mother, the daughter of Archduke Karl Ferdinand of Austria, viewed as non-royal and therefore made Ena and Alfonso an unequal match. Lastly, there was the issue of haemophilia, which ran through the royal family, and from which her own brother Leopold suffered. Alfonso would not be deterred, and after a year’s worth of speculation, Alfonso’s mother granted her consent. Ena converted to Roman Catholicism, and King Edward raised her status to that of Royal Highness, taking care of two of the more pressing conflicts to their marriage.

As with the Dollar Princesses, Ena’s trousseau was of much interest to celebrity wedding watchers, and the New York Times obliged their avid curiosity: All of her trousseau, with the exception of the wedding dress, were made in London, and the robes, cloaks, evening and tea gowns, petticoats, and under linen were on exhibition before the wedding. A dainty dress is of white mousseline de soie flowered with miniature roses. A morning gown is of fine spotted lawn over palest blue, inset with Valenciennes laces. A beautiful princess robe is in spotted lawn, made to wear over many different colored slips. A pale blue China silk empire morning robe is fastened in front with blue rosettes and ends. Another morning gown is of white lawn over pale blue, inserted at equal distances with Valenciennes lace. A smart morning gown is composed entirely of English embroidery in a very openwork design. Among the simple day gowns are many composed on linen. The bodices in many instances are made after the American blouse style, with touches of red and blue embroidery. One of the many dressing jackets is made of the palest blue and white Zenana, edged with quaint silk embroidery.

A handsome day dress is composed of ivory crepe de chine, the bodice arranged with finest guipure lace and tucked squares of crepe de chine, the centres of which are delicately embroidered with colored rosebuds and set together with insertions of Valenciennes lace… The wedding day of May 31, 1906 was met with cheers and celebrations across the country, and especially in Madrid, where Ena and Alfonso were to be wed in the Royal Monastery of San Geronimo. Mrs. Humphrey, aka “Madge” of Truth left her impressions of the wedding: The sun shone warmly down on the streets of Madrid. King Alfonso motored to El Pardo, where the bride was staying, and at a very early hour they attended Mass together. After breakfasting together with the bride’s mother, Princess Henry of Battenberg, Princess Ena, clothed in white, but with a blue feather in her hat, entered an electric brougham with King Alfonso, who was in admiral’s uniform.

Stately Ceremonial On arrival at the Ministry of Marine, shortly after eight o’clock, the bride went to dress, Queen Maria Christina arranging the bridal veil. Our handsome English Princess, tall, fair, and graceful, looked superb in her wonderful silver embroideries and draperies of priceless lace. A tiara of diamonds and pearls overtopped the wreath of orange-blossom in her abundant hair, and a priceless pearl necklace adorned her beautiful neck. The stately procession which preceded the King’s carriage passed through streets crowded with excited people. Red and yellow – the Spanish colours – were everywhere, on the Venetian masts, in the flags, and amongst the floral decorations. Every house had its draped balcony, either with tapestries, or red and yellow cloth. The King, looking extremely happy, and boyishly excited, acknowledged the greetings of the populace in his usual genial way. Half an hour later the procession of the bride, somewhat smaller than that of the King, passed along the same streets, likewise preceded and followed by cavalry. The church of San Jeronimo was the scene of the ceremony. It is small and dark, but for this occasion was lighted with electric lamps, of which there were many thousands.

The aisle and chancel were covered with fine carpets, and the entire church was decorated with flowers. The Bridal Processions Gathered closely together, space being somewhat limited, there was a picturesque assembly, including practically every uniform of Europe, diplomatic and military. The canopy under which both bride and bridegroom walk in Spanish marriages is white and gold. Under it walked King Alfonso, four of the greatest nobles in the land bearing the canopy. Then followed a wait of half an hour, the king looking rather thoughtful, and a trifle impatient, sitting erect in his throne chair. At last came the notes of “God Save the King,” and Princess Ena entered. She passed up the aisle beneath the canopy, closely holding the hand of Queen Maria Christina, her mother following half a pace behind on her left. King Alfonso and his bride knelt before the altar, which had previously been converted into a bank of flowers, and from which rose the Crucifix.

After the lapse of a moment or two, while engaged in prayer, King Alfonso rose to his feet with that impulsive movement to which we have all become accustomed in this youthful monarch, and, passing behind his bride, went to his mother, stooped over her, and kissed her hand. Princess Ena, seeing this, followed his example, left her place, and kissed Princess Henry, her mother, who shed tears. This little episode was, in fact, extremely touching. The Royal pair having again resumed their places, the short, impressive ceremony began. It was followed by the nuptial Mass, conducted by the Archbishop of Toledo and the Bishop of Nottingham, who, on the previous evening, had received the bride’s confession. It will doubtless be remembered that Princess Ena had changed her faith in view of her approaching marriage. The Royal couple now left the altar, and proceeded hand in hand to the dais, where they remained seated, a focus for all eyes, while the choral portions of the service were rendered magnificently by the choir. It was a wonderful sight.

A little below them stood the Queen-mother, next to her chair of state, clad in her beautiful majestic dress and jewels, and on either side knelt the heralds, in their gorgeous uniforms. Signing The Register The music finished, the newly-married pair walked arm-in-arm to a place close by, where a beautiful old monastery had once stood, a ruined cloister being almost the only remaining vestige of it. Here the marriage register was signed, the King having chosen this spot a few days before the wedding. On a table, covered with crimson cloth, stood the necessary implements. The corner of the cloisters had been screened off with fine tapestries of world-wide renown, on which were depicted scenes from Don Quixote. Saluting The King And His Bride The bridal procession was then formed to return to the church, the Prince of Wales (afterwards King George) closely following the bride and bridegroom and the Queen-mother. Then came the Princess of Wales (Queen Mary), and the Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria. When the church was reached, the guests dispersed according to strictest rules of Spanish etiquette and precedence, the latter being reversed in this instance.

Those of lowest rank passed first in couples before the dais, bowing low and curtseying to the bride and bridegroom, now seated in their chairs of state. Each couple passed directly out of the church after having made their reverence. The Prince and Princess of Wales were the last to leave, with the exception of the Queen-mother; and, when she had made her deep curtsey to her son and his bride, the two latter walked down the church under the canopy, and drove off to the Palace in a coach drawn by eight cream-coloured horses, with nodding white plumes. The crowd cheered incessantly, the joy-bells rang, cannons boomed, flags waved, and the red and yellow flowers and streamers made a wonderful spectacle in the sunshine. The Ending In Tragedy Then, two or three minutes later, as will be recollected, a dastardly outrage was attempted upon this happy and smiling couple, whose bravery and self-possession, with their sudden change from joy and brightness to a scene of suffering and cruelty, was remarkable. An equerry almost dragged the Royal couple from their carriage, and hurried them into another coach.

It was a miraculous escape, and the eventful day will for ever be marred to the King and Queen of Spain by the memory of the innocent victims killed or sadly injured by the bomb that was intended for them. Notwithstanding this outrage, the brave young couple showed themselves to the people on arrival at the Palace, when they were greeted with a storm of cheers. On the following day they drove through the streets of Madrid without escort, trusting only to the chivalry of their people. Nor was this trust misplaced, for the populace formed a guard of honour and prevented any harm coming to their King and his young Queen. Further Reading: Born to Rule: Five Reigning Consorts, Granddaughters of Queen Victoria By Julia P. Gelardi If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed , sign up for my newsletter , or like EP on Facebook . Love what you're reading? Has it helped your school project or book? Consider making a small donation to keep Edwardian Promenade online and a free resource in the years to come! Thanks for visiting!

Princess Beatrice of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duchess of Galliera | Unofficial Royalty Princess Beatrice of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duchess of Galliera source: Wikipedia Princess Beatrice of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duchess of Galliera Princess Beatrice was the youngest child of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (the second son of Queen Victoria ) and Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia (the daughter of Tsar Alexander II ). She was born Beatrice Leopoldine Victoria on April 20, 1884 at Eastwell Park in Kent, her parents leased country home. She was christened the following month, with her aunt, The Princess Beatrice , as one of her godparents. Beatrice (on her mother’s lap), with her mother and siblings. source: Wikipedia Due to her father’s military career, as well as his future role in Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Beatrice grew up in England, Malta and Coburg.

The youngest child in the family, she was perhaps more doted upon than her elder sisters, and was known as ‘Baby’ or ‘Baby-Bee’. In July 1893, Beatrice was one of the bridesmaids at the wedding of her cousin, The Duke of York , to Princess Victoria Mary of Teck (later King George V and Queen Mary). The following month, her father became the reigning Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha upon the death of his uncle. The family moved permanently to Coburg, taking up residence at Schloss Ehrenburg in Coburg. During their years in Coburg, Beatrice’s sisters were all married, and her brother died of an attempted suicide. Following her father’s death in 1900, Beatrice remained with her mother in Coburg, living at the Palais Edinburg (which her father had purchased in the mid-1880s) and Schloss Rosenau . In 1902, she became involved in a relationship with her first cousin, Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich of Russia . However, the Russian Orthodox Church forbade marriages between first cousins, and Tsar Nicholas II refused to allow an exception.

Michael ended the relationship the following year. In 1906, Beatrice’s cousin, Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg , married King Alfonso XIII of Spain in Madrid. It was at the wedding that Beatrice met her future husband, Infante Alfonso , son of Infante Antonio, Duke of Galliera , and Infanta Eulalia of Spain . The couple were married in July 15, 1909 in Coburg. A civil ceremony was held at Schloss Rosenau, followed by a Catholic Ceremony at St. Augustine’s Church, and a Lutheran ceremony at Schloss Callenberg . Unlike her cousin, Victoria Eugenie, Beatrice chose not to convert to Catholicism prior to her marriage. (She did later convert in 1913.) Because of the difference in religion, there was dissent within the Spanish government. While the King personally encouraged and supported the marriage, the government would not allow him to give formal consent. Therefore, upon marriage, the couple were banished from Spain, and Alfonso was stripped of his honors and titles, including that of Infante of Spain.

They settled in Coburg until 1912, when they were permitted to return to Spain, and Alfonso’s titles and honors were restored. Beatrice and Alfonso had three sons: Infante Alvaro (1910-1997) – married, had issue Infante Alonso (1912-1936) – killed in action during the Spanish Civil War, unmarried, no issue Infante Ataúlfo (1913-1974) – unmarried, no issue Beatrice with her three sons, c. 1913. source: Wikipedia In 1916, the couple were sent to Switzerland. Under the guise of an official mission, rumors quickly spread that it was due to either Beatrice’s influence on Queen Victoria Eugenie, or because she had rebuffed the romantic advances of King Alfonso XIII who was a notorious womanizer. After some time in Switzerland, the couple moved to England where their sons were educated at Winchester College . Eight years later, they were finally permitted to return to Spain. In the following years, the Spanish monarchy was overthrown and the country was thrown into Civil War.

Beatrice’s second son, Alonso, was killed in action, and the family lost their properties. Initially exiled to England, they eventually returned to Spain in 1937, and settled at a new estate, El Botánico, in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, where they would live for the rest of their lives. Beatrice died on July 13, 1966 at El Botánico. She is buried with her husband at the Convent of Capuchin Fathers in Sanlúcar de Barrameda. Learn more about royalty, past and present here and share your thoughts on our forums . Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg (Princess) - Pics, Videos, Dating, & News Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg Female Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg was queen consort of King Alfonso XIII of Spain.

She was a granddaughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom; and the first cousin of King George V of the United Kingdom, Queen Maud of Norway, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia, Queen Marie of Romania, Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany, Queen Louise of Sweden, and Queen Sophia of the Hellenes.… Read More related links Learn about the memorable moments in the evolution of Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg. CHILDHOOD 1887 Birth Victoria Eugenie was born on 24 October 1887 at Balmoral Castle, in Scotland. … Read More Her father was Prince Henry of Battenberg, the fourth child and third son of Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine by his morganatic wife Countess Julia Hauke, and her mother was Princess Beatrice, the fifth daughter and youngest child of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.<br /><br /> As Prince Henry was the product of a morganatic marriage, he took his style of Prince of Battenberg from his mother, who had been created Princess of Battenberg in her own right.

As such, Henry's children would normally have been born with the style "Serene Highness"; however, Queen Victoria had issued a Royal Warrant on 4 December 1886 granting the higher style of "Highness" to all sons and daughters of Prince Henry and Princess Beatrice, thus she was born Her Highness Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg. She was named for her grandmother, and for her godmother, Empress EugÃ©nie of the French, the Spanish-born widow of the former Emperor of the French Napoleon III, who lived in exile in the United Kingdom. To her family, and the British general public, she was known by the last of her names, as Ena. Read Less 1893 5 Years Old … Victoria Eugenie grew up in Queen Victoria's household, as the British monarch had reluctantly allowed Beatrice to marry on the condition that she remain her mother's full-time companion and personal secretary. Therefore, she spent her childhood at Windsor Castle, Balmoral, and Osborne House on the Isle of Wight.

Read Less She was a bridesmaid at the wedding of her cousins, the Duke (later King George V) and Duchess of York on 6 July 1893. … Read More Her father died while on active military service after contracting fever in Africa in 1896. Read Less TEENAGE 1901 13 Years Old After the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, the Battenbergs moved to London and took up residence in Kensington Palace. … Read More In 1905, the King of Spain made an official state visit to the United Kingdom. Victoria Eugenie's uncle, King Edward VII, hosted a dinner in Buckingham Palace, in honour of the Spanish king. Alfonso was seated between Queen Alexandra and Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, King Edward's sister. He noticed Victoria Eugenie and asked who was the dinner guest with almost white hair. Everybody knew that King Alfonso was looking for a suitable bride and one of the strongest candidates was Princess Patricia of Connaught, daughter of King Edward's brother, the Duke of Connaught.

As Princess Patricia seemed not to be impressed by the Spanish monarch, Alfonso indulged his interest in Victoria Eugenie, and so the courtship began. When Alfonso returned to Spain he frequently sent postcards to Victoria Eugenie and spoke of her approvingly. His widowed mother, Queen Maria Cristina, did not like her son's choice, in part because she considered the Battenbergs non-royal because of the obscure origin of Prince Henry's mother, and in part because she wanted her son to marry within her own family, the Habsburgs from Austria. Another obstacle to a marriage was Victoria Eugenie's Protestantism (Alfonso was Roman Catholic; she was Anglican). Another potential problem was haemophilia, the disease that Victoria had transmitted to some of her descendants. Eugenie's brother Leopold was a haemophiliac, so there was a 50% probability that Victoria Eugenie would be a carrier, although the degree of risk was not yet known.

Read Less Show Less After a year of rumours about which princess Alfonso would marry, his mother finally acceded to her son's selection in January 1906 and wrote a letter to Princess Henry of Battenberg, Victoria Eugenie's mother, telling her about the love Alfonso felt for her daughter and seeking unofficial contact with the king. … Read More Some days later at Windsor, King Edward congratulated his niece on her future engagement.<br /><br /> Princess Beatrice and her daughter arrived in Biarritz on 22 January and stayed at the Villa Mauriscot where some days later King Alfonso met them. At the Villa Mauriscot, Alfonso and his future bride conducted a chaperoned, three-day romance. Then, Alfonso took Victoria Eugenie and her mother to San SebastiÃ¡n to meet Queen Maria Cristina. On 3 February, the king left San Sebastian to go to Madrid and Victoria Eugenie and her mother went to Versailles where the Princess would be instructed in the Catholic faith: As the future Queen of Spain, she agreed to convert.

Read Less The official reception of Victoria Eugenie into the Catholic faith took place on 5 March 1906 at Miramar Palace in San SebastiÃ¡n. … Read More The terms of the marriage were settled by two agreements, a public treaty and a private contractual arrangement. The treaty was executed between Spain and the United Kingdom in London on 7 May 1906 by their respective plenipotentiaries, the Spanish Ambassador to the Court of St. James's, Don Luis Polo de BernabÃ©, and the British Foreign Secretary, Sir Edward Grey, Bt. Ratifications were exchanged on 23 May following. Among other conditions, the treaty stipulated: BE it known unto all men by these Presents that whereas His Catholic Majesty Alfonso XIII, King of Spain, has judged it proper to announce his intention of contracting a marriage with Her Royal Highness Princess Victoria EugÃ©nie Julia Ena, niece of His Majesty Edward VII, King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas, Emperor of India, and daughter of Her Royal Highness the Princess Beatrice Mary Victoria Feodore (Princess Henry of Battenberg) Article I.

It is concluded and agreed that the marriage between His said Majesty King Alfonso XIII and Her said Royal Highness the Princess Victoria EugÃ©nie Julia Ena shall be solemnized in person at Madrid as soon as the same may conveniently be done. II. His said Majesty King Alfonso XIII engages to secure to Her said Royal Highness the Princess Victoria EugÃ©nie Julia Ena from the date of her marriage with His Majesty, and for the whole period of the marriage, an annual grant of 450,000 pesetas. Read Less Princess Victoria Eugenie married King Alfonso XIII at the Royal Monastery of San JerÃ³nimo in Madrid on 31 May 1906. … Read More Present at the ceremony were her widowed mother and brothers, as well as her cousins, the Prince and Princess of Wales.<br /><br /> After the wedding ceremony, the royal procession was heading back to the Royal Palace when an assassination attempt was made on the King and Queen. When Anarchist Mateu Morral threw a bomb from a balcony at the royal carriage. Victoria Eugenie's life was saved because, at the exact moment the bomb exploded, she turned her head in order to see St.

Mary's Church, which Alfonso was showing her. She escaped injury, although her dress was spotted with the blood of a guard who was riding beside the carriage. There exists a large statue in front of the Royal Monastery of San Geronimo dedicated to the victims of the bombing of May 31, 1906.<br /><br /> After the inauspicious start to her tenure as Queen of Spain, Victoria Eugenie became isolated from the Spanish people and was unpopular in her new land. Her married life improved when she gave birth to a son and heir-apparent to the kingdom, Alfonso, Prince of Asturias. However, while the baby prince was being circumcised, the doctors noted that he did not stop bleeding â the first sign that the infant heir had haemophilia. Victoria Eugenie was the obvious source of the condition, which was inherited by her eldest and youngest sons. Contrary to the response of Emperor Nicholas II of Russia, whose son and heir by another granddaughter of Queen Victoria was similarly afflicted, Alfonso is alleged never to have forgiven Victoria Eugenie nor to have come to terms with what had happened.

Read Less TWENTIES 1909 21 Years Old … After the births of their children, Victoria Eugenie's relationship with Alfonso deteriorated, and he had numerous affairs. It has been said that he had a dalliance with the Queen's cousin, Beatrice, Duchess of Galliera, but this is not true. There is some evidence that Alfonso tried to seduce Beatrice, but she didn't give in. The king, in anger, expelled her and her husband from Spain. Then members of the king's circle spread rumours that Beatrice had been expelled because of her bad behaviour, which was not true. All this situation was very painful for the Queen, who could do nothing to help her cousin. <br /><br />Victoria Eugenie devoted herself to work for hospitals and services for the poor, as well as to education. She was also involved in the reorganization of the Spanish Red Cross. In 1929, the city of Barcelona erected a statue of her in a nurse's uniform in honor of her Red Cross work (the statue has since been destroyed). Various Spanish landmarks have been named after Victoria Eugenie.

Read Less For instance, in 1909, Madrid's stately neoclassical bridge crossing the Manzanares River was named after her as the "Puente de la Reina Victoria". 1912 24 Years Old In 1912, the monumental opera house and theater "Teatro Victoria Eugenia" in San SebastiÃ¡n, Spain, was named after her. THIRTIES 1920 32 Years Old In 1920, she launched the Spanish Navy Cruiser Reina Victoria Eugenia which was named after her. … Read More She was the 976th Dame of the Royal Order of Queen Maria Luisa. Read Less 1923 35 Years Old In 1923, the Pope conferred upon her the Golden Rose which was the first time this honor had been awarded on a British-born princess since 1555 when Pope Julius III conferred one upon Queen Mary I of England. … Read More She was also granted the Royal Order of Victoria and Albert by her grandmother, Queen Victoria.

The Queen was also awarded the Spanish Red Cross Merit Order (First Class) and the jewelled breast star was paid for by a subscription undertaken by the Corps of Lady Nurses of the Spanish Red Cross.<br /><br /> The Spanish royal family went into exile on 14 April 1931 after municipal elections brought Republicans to power in most of the major cities, leading to the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic. Alfonso XIII had hoped that his voluntary exile might avert a civil war between the Republicans and the Monarchists. The royal family went to live in France and later Italy. Victoria Eugenie and Alfonso later separated, and she lived partly in the UK and, after being invited to leave Britain by its government, in Switzerland. She purchased a chateau, the Vieille Fontaine, outside Lausanne. Read Less FIFTIES 1942 54 Years Old … In 1938, the whole family gathered in Rome for the baptism at the Palazzo Malta of Juan's eldest son, Infante Juan Carlos by Vatican Cardinal Secretary of State Eugenio Pacelli (who stood in for the dying Pope Pius XI and would himself become Pope Pius XII in a few months).

On 15 January 1941, Alfonso XIII, feeling his death was near, transferred his rights to the Spanish crown to his son, the Count of Barcelona. On 12 February, Alfonso suffered a first heart attack. Alfonso died on 28 February 1941. Read Less In 1942 Queen Victoria Eugenie was obliged to leave Italy having become persona non grata to the Italian government, according to Harold Tittmann, a U.S. representative at the Vatican at the time, for her "ill-disguised leanings to the Allied cause." LATE ADULTHOOD 1968 80 Years Old Queen Victoria Eugenie returned briefly to Spain in February 1968, to stand as godmother at the baptism of her great-grandson, Infante Felipe, the son of Infante Juan Carlos and Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark. … Read More Felipe became King of Spain after his father's abdication in June 2014.

Read Less 1969 82 Years Old Victoria Eugenie died in Lausanne on 15 April 1969, aged 81, exactly 38 years after she had left Spain for exile. … Read More She was interred in the church of SacrÃ© Coeur in Lausanne. On 25 April 1985, her remains were returned to Spain and re-interred in the Royal Vault in the Escorial, outside Madrid, next to the remains of her husband, Alfonso XIII, and not far from her sons, Infante Alfonso, Infante Jaime, and Infante Gonzalo.<br /><br /> Victoria Eugenie's great-grandson Felipe VI is the present King of Spain. Her godchildren include the Prince of Monaco, the late Queen Fabiola of the Belgians, and Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart, 18th Duchess of Alba.<br /><br /> Victoria Eugenie's Cartier tiara of diamonds set with pearls (or alternatively with emeralds) was left to her daughter, Infanta Maria Cristina, Countess of Marone. It is now worn by the Queen of Spain.

In addition, her Ansorena Fleur de Lis tiara given to her by Alfonso XIII at her wedding has become the most important tiara in the Spanish Royal collection and is worn by the Queen of Spain for important state occasions. Read Less Original Authors of this text are noted on . 1000+ images about Beatrice, Princess Henry of Battenberg on Pinterest | Princess victoria, Great britain and Princess beatrice Pinterest • The world’s catalogue of ideas Beatrice, Princess Henry of Battenberg Born April 14th, 1857. Youngest child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Married to Prince Henry of Battenberg. Mother to Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain. The current King of Spain is her Great-Grandson. 23 Pins150 Followers boys clothing: British royalty--Princess Beatrice Princess Beatrice, 1857-1944 Figure 1.--. Queen Victoria's last child was Beatrice and was referred to as "Baby" in the family. Victoria was inchanted with her youngest child. Unfortunately the Queen never wanted her daughter to leave her.

Beatrice was the first member of her family, but not the last, to run afoul of the future Kaiser Wilhelm II. A daugter of Beatrice mairred Alfonso XIII of Spain. Parents Albert Albert was the born into the royal family of a small German principality. He was stictly raised and very well educated. His mairrage to Victoria brought him to the throne of the most powerful country of the day. He was only the Prince Consort and not a co-ruler with his wife. His advise to his poorly educated wife, however, was of great value to England, especially his advise that England not support the South in the American Civil War. He took the education of their children very seriously--especially heir, the future Edward VII very seriously. Despite the attention given to the care and education of the children. Albert's untimely death devestated the Victoria. Victoria Queen Victoria was Britain's longest serving monarch. Her mairrage with Albert was the love story of the 19th century. She set the moral tone of the nation and helped shape Britain's emergence as a truly democratic nation. Victoria witnessed an extrodinary development of British power and influence.

She and Albert changed how Britain's looked on their monarch. She became in many ways the gramdmother of Europe, forging dynastic ties throughout the Continent. She also played a major role in influencing boys clothing around the world by the garments she selected for the young princes. Birth Beatrice was born at Buckingham Palace in 1857, only 4 years before her father's death. It is likely that her life would have been quite different if Albert has not died at such a young age. Her formal name was Princess Beatrice Mary Victoria Feodora Wettin. Siblings Victoria and Albert had nine children, four boys and five girls. They saw themselves and in many ways were suitably enough an ideal Victorian family. The mairrages and offspring of these children are truely remarkable. Victoria in more than name was the grandmother of Europe. Ties were forged with Denmark, Prussia and other German states, Russia, and Spain. Notably France was exepted from Victoria's dynastic web. Childhood Victoria was delighted with the baby and her letters to Vicky describe the joy she got out of playing with the child.

It was only 4 years, however, before the death of the Prince Consort Albert and the dramatic change in the life of the children. Victoria later wrote, Beatrice was the only thing I think I feel keeps me alive. As the baby of the family she was doted on. In fact baby became her knickname among the family. Wilhelm II Beatrice was the first member of her family, but not the last, to run afoul of the future Kaiser Wilhelm II. Beatrice was Wilhelm's aunt, butvonly a few years younger than him. Beatrice's sister Victoria brought Wilhelm along with her when she came to Britain for the Prince of Wales wedding. Wilhelm by all accounts out did himself with naughty behavior. He through Beatrice's muff from the cairrage. For the wedding itself, Wilhelm was done up in a kilt costume and was intrgued with the dirk (dagger) in his kneesocks. When he started playing with it, Beatrice tried unsuccessfully to get him to behave. She reportedly wanted him to refer to her as "Aunt Beatrice". As she was only a few years older than him, he objected.

By this time he had picked up the fact that within the family she was called "Baby". He then told her, "... alright, I will call you Aunt Baby". [Van der Kriste] Youth Unfortunately the esquisite child grew into a lonely, sad, and repressed woman. She was not allowed to be in a room with a man unless she was accompanied. When she told her mother she had fallen in love, the Queen stopped talking to her. Beatrice stayed home with her mother all her life, eve after her mairrage. Prince Henry Prince Henry's father was Alexander of the Rhine von Hessen , Prince of Hesse (1823- ). His mother was Princess Juia of Batteberg (1825- ) who was born a commoner. Prince Henry Maurice was born in 1858. He fell in love with Princess Beatrice, Queen Victoria's youngest daughter. Queen Victoria was horrified at the idea as she had planned for Princess Beatrice to stay by her as she grew older. Another account indicates the queen had hoped that Beatrice would marry Henry's brother Louis. [Vickers, p. 11.] Apparently the Princess was not to happy with that arrangement.

Prince Henry found an unexpected ally in the Princess of Wales who was not normally fond of Germans, even members of the family. [Battiscombe, p. 173.] Another Battenburg, Prince Louis married Princess Victoria Alberta of Hesse in 1884. She was the daughter of Louis IV of Hesse on the German side. She was a grand daughter of Queen Victoria and daughter of Princess Alice on the English side and rose to First Sea Lord by the time of World War I. Marriage The matter was resolved when the Prince agreed that he and Princess Beatrice would live the Queen. They were mairred at Whippingham Church on the Isle of Wight in 1885. The marriage further linked the Hessian and British royal family. Princess Beatrice's elder sister Princess Alice had married Grand Duke Louis IV. Princess Beatrice's marriage occurred about the same time the affair between his brother Alexander and Princess Victoria , Princess Beatrice's niece, was unwinding. The mairrage was criticised both in England and Prussia. Continued Relationship with Queen Victoria Even Beatrice's marriage to Prince Henry did not remove her from Victoria's side.

A painfully shy person, Princess Beatrice was known to rest her shoulder against her neighbor's at dinner. Queen Victoria, however, became quite attached to Prince Henry. His name in the family was "Liko". Tragedy The marriage ended tragically. Prince Henry participated as a volunteer in the Ashanti Expeditionary Force to Sierra Leone where he contracted malaria. The Prince died at sea in 1896 while returning home. Princess Beatrice was devastated by her husband's death. The Queen was also devesated as she had come to rely on Prince Henry. Children Princecess Beatrice and Prince Henry had four children. After her mother's death in 1901, the widowed Beatrice lived for her children, principally her daughter, Victoria Eugenie. Mother and daughter shared much in common and, significantly, both were transmitters of hemophilia, as became tragically known after Victoria Eugenie, became Queen Ena of Spain. Alexander (1886-1960) The first child, Alexander, was born in 1886. He became Mountbatten, Alexander of Carisbrooke, Marquess of Carisbrooke. He died in London during 1960.

Victoria Eugenie (1887-1969) Their eldest daughter, Victoria Eugenie, was born at Balmoral Castle in Scotland during 1887. She was Victoria Eugenie von Battenburg. Victoria Eugenie married Alfonso XIII , the long-serving king of Spain in 1906. She became Queen Ena. In 1907 she produced an heir, Prince Austrias, who was hemophilic. A second son, born the following year, was a deaf mute. Another was stillborn. Two daughters and one son were born healthy, but Ena's last child was a hemophiliac as well. Alfonso was deposed in 1931 by the Spanish Republic. She died in 1969 in Switzerland before the Spanish monarch was restored by Franco. Leopold Arthur Louis (1889-1922) Beatrice's third child was Mountbatten, Leopold Arthur Louis, Lord Mountbatten. He was born in 1889. He died in 1922 in Kensington Palace.

Maurice Victor Donald (1891-1914) Their last child was Prince Maurice Victor Donald of Battenberg. He was born in 1891. He died during the first months of World War I at Ypres Belgium. Later Years Princess Beatrice died in 1944 at Bantridge Park, Balcome in Sussex. Sources Battiscombe, Georgina. Queen Alexandra (Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 1969). Van der Kriste, John. Kaiser Wihelm II: Germany's Last Kaiser (Bodmin: Sutton Publishing, 1999), 244p. Vickers, Hugo. Alice: Princess Andrew of Greece (St. Martin's Press: New York, 2000), 477p.

Question: Victoria Eugenie the daughter of Princess Beatrice married the King of which European country in 1906?
Answer: SPAIN